


So Long and Gute Nacht

by VitaLupum



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Seriously fluffy fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-11
Updated: 2013-06-11
Packaged: 2017-12-14 16:11:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/838818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VitaLupum/pseuds/VitaLupum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The year is up, and they're all going home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	So Long and Gute Nacht

Medic stood alone in the hallway, scarf wrapped around his neck, fingers wrapped around the handle of his suitcase. He could hear Heavy packing away all of his books with a delicacy that seemed surprising from his ham-fists.

The truth was, he didn't want to go.

He knew the contract he had signed – eleventh months he stayed, one month he had off. At first, he had dreaded eleven months in a strange country with strange people, doing a strange job. Only the unbelievable size of the paycheck had persuaded him. Now, he was listening as the base emptied of the life the nine men had given it, his lab coat – although it was not truly his, was it? It belonged to RED, technically – hung up in the med bay.

And it didn't help he knew he would be coming back. He had passed the one-year trial with flying colours, and he had signed the three-year contract they had given him in return with an alacrity that had surprised even himself. He knew that Heavy had signed it as well – it had been the first thing he had asked him when he had returned – but, and here his stomach did a nervous flip, what if none of the others did?

"Doc!"

Sniper was strolling down the corridor, rifle in a case slung over his shoulder like a guitar, and Medic smiled at him awkwardly.

"I just wanted t'say, thanks for the great job ya did," Sniper said, smiling just as awkwardly. He clapped a hand on the man's shoulder, and Medic thought how far the man had come from the awkward loner they had all known at the start of their time at the base. Sniper pulled the man into an embrace, clapping him on the back, and then looked at the door to Heavy's room. "You an' the big guy comin' back next year, mate?"

"Uh,  _ja_ ," Medic nodded, and Sniper grinned.

"At least I'll know someone, then," he sighed in relief, and Medic's heart soared. Three out of nine wasn't the majority by any means, but it was something, and as Sniper turned to leave, van keys swinging round his finger, Medic felt a genuine warmth in his stomach.

"Doc!"

Medic turned, and Engineer and Pyro were struggling to carry about six cases through the corridor. He stepped back, and Engineer set down two of his with a groan.

"Damn stuff. Almost no point, since the two of us are coming back." Medic grin must've given him away, because Engineer grinned back, and it sounded as if Pyro cheered through his mask. "Damn, I am grateful we ain't gonna be alone." Pyro punched him on the arm, laughing muffledly, and Engineer clapped an arm around the man's suit. "So what you doin' for the next month?"

"Heavy  _und_  I are going to Siberia," Medic said, leaning against the wall. "I have nobody in Germany to go back to,  _und_  he assures me his mozzer vill be very pleased to see he has friends." They all shared a laugh.

"Well, I wanted to say thanks an' all. You've been a real helpful member'a the team," Engineer said earnestly.

"Hhn, mmmmk nhh," Pyro added, and Medic assured them it was his pleasure to help his friends. As they said their goodbyes and left, Heavy emerged, clutching three enormous boxes under one arm.

"Shall ve go,  _Doktor_?" he asked, and they set off down the corridor to the train station.

Medic was almost skipping the whole way back – five of them? This was amazing. He chuckled, feeling a little sorry for the four newbies that would have to ingratiate themselves to the friendship group, and Heavy looked at him oddly.

"I vas just zinking," Medic began, and was interrupted by his engulfment by a black Scottish Cyclops.

" _Doc_!"

The next few minutes were a slurred blur of drunkenness, but through it Medic discerned that Demoman was indeed staying on, that Medic was welcome in Scotland any time for a drink, and that Demoman had three pairs of underwear on because the train was untrustworthy. As he reeled away to engulf Pyro in his embraces, an event that could cause an explosion from the fumes coming off of Demo, Medic turned to see Soldier and Spy engaged in bitter dispute on the platform.

" _I do not give you permission to sign on for the next work year, private!_ "

"Well, this  _is_  a pity, because the company has asked me to stay on due to excellent service."

Sniper strode over, and grasped Spy's arm, pulling back, as Engineer pulled back the Soldier. Both glared at each other.

"Guys, we've all got on so well," Sniper said disappointedly. "Don't ruin it now, mates." The men looked away from each other in embarrassment. "Shake 'n' make up."

Spy stuck out his hand, and Soldier shook it unwillingly.

"I guess I'll see you  _next time_ ," he growled, and stomped onto the train. Spy wrested his arm away from Sniper, and sniffed, before walking down the train to get onto the very last compartment, as far from the American as he could be.

"Jesus," Sniper sighed, and Medic laughed. "It's gonna be like last year  _all_  over again, 'cept this time for  _three_  years." Medic nodded in agreement, and as the platform began to empty he realised only Scout had not appeared yet. If he stayed, it would make the complete set.

"M-M-Medic?"

Medic turned, and Scout was stood there, looking absolutely tiny in an overcoat that was far too big for him. He wore a fluffy  _ushanka_  that Heavy had gifted him halfway through the year, and an enormous scarf that made his neck about three times as thick as it should be. Tears were running down his face, and he was sniffling.

"Are you okay?" Medic asked in shock, and Scout nodded fiercely.

"I, uh, just wanted to, er, say that…" he gulped desperately, voice crackling. "I… uh… you didn't see this, ya hear?"

"I hear," Medic said gently, and Scout nodded, and then rushed forward, hugging him around the middle.

" _I'm gonna miss you all_ ," he sobbed at Medic's midriff," _an' you've all been like the father I never had ya know and I don't wanna go 'cause I'm gonna miss ya all and I'm gonna come back next year an' the next team's gonna SUCK an'_ …"

"Scout, Scout, ve're all staying on," Medic said, still in the same gentle tones, and Scout sniffled again, looking up at Medic with wide-eyed wonder. "Ve're all going to be here ven you get back."

Scout beamed widely from ear to ear, and then hopped over to Heavy, who had been watching this scene bemused, gave him an enormous hug again, and dashed onto the train, shouting his goodbyes to the two and cheering.

"Vell, zis has been an experience," Medic murmured, and Heavy nodded.

"Ve're going to be late," he rumbled, and Medic nodded, turning to take one last look at the ramshackle sheds they had lived in, fought in, died in for the last eleven months.

"Vun monz  _und_  counting," he said, and stepped onto the train.


End file.
